EP0660610A1 - Method and system for sizing interactive video delivery systems - Google Patents

Method and system for sizing interactive video delivery systems Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0660610A1
EP0660610A1 EP94119910A EP94119910A EP0660610A1 EP 0660610 A1 EP0660610 A1 EP 0660610A1 EP 94119910 A EP94119910 A EP 94119910A EP 94119910 A EP94119910 A EP 94119910A EP 0660610 A1 EP0660610 A1 EP 0660610A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
memory
video delivery
information
determining
blocking probability
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP94119910A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
K. David Lin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
US West Advanced Technologies Inc
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US West Advanced Technologies Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by US West Advanced Technologies Inc filed Critical US West Advanced Technologies Inc
Publication of EP0660610A1 publication Critical patent/EP0660610A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
    • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications
    • H04N7/17318—Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
    • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications
    • H04N7/17327—Transmission or handling of upstream communications with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to interactive video networks and, more particularly, to a method and system for sizing interactive video delivery systems in accordance with selected blocking probabilities.
  • VOD Video-On-Demand
  • the Erlang-B method for predicting the required network size for a certain quality of service for blocking, i.e., the probability that subscriber demand will exceed available circuits.
  • the Erlang-B method has historically been used for sizing telephony networks and is based on an M/M/C/C queuing system.
  • the blocking probability, P c Erlang is given by: where ⁇ is the average arrival rate, and ⁇ is the average holding time.
  • the Erlang-B method assumes poisson arrivals (M) and exponential service time distribution (M), i.e., the holding time of telephone calls being exponentially distributed. These assumptions, however, have been found not to be valid in video delivery networks where call holding time is generally constant and relatively long. Because of the special computational methods required to determine the factorials of large numbers --as required by the Erlang-B method -- the method has similarly been found to be exceedingly difficult and time consuming to implement in practice. For these reasons, network designers have turned their attention toward the development of alternative methods and systems for sizing interactive video delivery systems which are accurate and easy to implement.
  • a more specific object of the present invention is the provision of a method and system for determining the required number of active video circuits in an interactive video delivery network required to meet specified blocking probability constraints.
  • the method of the present invention is directed for use in cooperation with a computer having memory.
  • the user may determine the blocking probability of the interactive video system in accordance with the above referenced formula. Once the blocking probability has been determined, a corresponding first electrical signal may thereafter be generated corresponding to this determined blocking probability.
  • This information may thereafter be converted to digital format and stored in the computer memory. Once stored in digital format, the information may thereafter be retrieved and used to determine the required number of active video circuits required to meet specified blocking probability constraints.
  • a second electrical signal may thereafter be generated. Again, this information may be converted to digital format and stored in computer memory where it may later be retrieved and displayed on a user friendly interface.
  • the system of the present invention for sizing interactive video delivery systems is similarly designed for use in cooperation with a computer having memory.
  • the system comprises means for determining peak loading hours as well as means for determining the number of system subscribers in the video delivery network.
  • means for determining the blocking probability of the system in accordance with the same formula referenced above.
  • means for generating a first electrical signal corresponding to said blocking probability information as well as means for converting this information to digital format, storing it in memory, retrieving it and determining the required number of active video circuits to meet selected probability constraints.
  • Peak loading hours as used with reference to the present invention is thus defined as the time instant when a number of concurrently used channels or circuits reach maximum values on a daily basis.
  • the blocking probability of the system may be determined in accordance with the present invention utilizing the following notation: As those skilled in the art will appreciate, it can be shown that may be written explicitly as follows: Let C be the number of circuits available in the video delivery network, and P c is the blocking probability of the network. P c is thus given by: As those skilled in the art will further recognize, this equation lends itself to nice arithmetic properties which may be calculated for large values of M and N.
  • the method and system for sizing interactive video delivery systems of the present invention is adapted for use in cooperation with a computer having memory.
  • the invention requires the determination of peak loading hours (10) as well as the determination of the number of system subscribers (12) in the video delivery network under review. Of course, these determinations may be made manually. However, in the preferred embodiment, it is anticipated that background information regarding loading hours and system subscribers will be stored within an appropriate computer memory which may be accessed through initiation of conventional programming procedures to determine peak loading hours and the number of system subscribers in a given network sought to be reviewed.
  • the blocking probability of the system may thereafter be determined in accordance with the formula: where: M equals the number of said system subscribers, n equals the number of movies simultaneously playing at said peak loading hours, p equals the probability that a subscriber will request a movie during a selected time window prior to said peak loading hours, and C equals the number of circuits available in said video delivery network.
  • the blocking probability P c may be determined manually, in the preferred embodiment, it is anticipated that the blocking probability P c may be determined through simple programming procedures wherein information regarding the number of system subscribers, the number of movies simultaneously playing at peak loading hours, the probability that a subscriber will request a movie during a selected time window prior to peak loading hours and a number of circuits available in the video delivery network is stored in an appropriate computer memory which may be accessed.
  • a first electrical signal corresponding thereto may thereafter be generated, preferably by the computer system on which the above steps have been carried out, converted to digital format in accordance with conventional procedures and stored in computer memory as shown in blocks (16) and (18). Thereafter, this digital blocking probability information may be internally retrieved by the computer system from its associated memory and analyzed so as to determine the number of active video circuits required to meet the specified blocking probability, as shown in block (20). Again, once the number of active video circuits has been determined, a second electrical signal corresponding thereto may be generated as shown in block (22).
  • this second electrical signal may be generated by the computer system and thereafter be converted to digital format such that active video circuit information may be stored in computer memory as shown in block (24). Finally, this digital active video circuit information may be internally retrieved by the computer from its associated memory and displayed for the user's review on a user-friendly interface such as a computer monitor or the like as shown in block (26).
  • the prior art Erlang-B method which has been historically used for sizing telephony networks is used to plot cumulative probability of queue size in a video delivery network in comparison to actual VCTV trials and the method steps of the present invention.
  • the Erlang-B method is based on an M/M/C/C queuing system. Given C circuits in the network, the blocking probability, P c Erlang is given by where ⁇ is the average arrival rate, and ⁇ is the average holding time.
  • the method used in accordance with the present invention fits the VCTV data very well, while the Erlang-B formula is very different when C is small.
  • the Erlang-B formula is applicable to a steady-state queuing system, while VCTV results suggest that the video delivery network may not go to steady-state sufficiently fast. It is thus noted that a positive-recurrent queuing system takes time T to go from transient-state to steady-state.
  • ⁇ is defined as For a given loading scenario, i.e., for fixed ⁇ and ⁇ values, the value of ⁇ increases as the number of circuits (the C value) decreases. Consequently, the system goes from transient-state to steady-state at a slower rate.
  • the method used in accordance with the present invention is not based on steady-state analysis of a positive-recurrent queuing system. It is thus believed that it provides a more accurate prediction of system loading for video delivery networks.
  • system performance is further affected by additional factors. For example, marketing decisions may affect the system performance. Consider, for example, the situation wherein a video service offers a promotion to give away free movies on a particular evening. In such a case, the system loading will increase dramatically. On the other hand, during major sporting events such as, for example, the SuperBowl, it is expected that there will be fewer Video-On-Demand viewers.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
EP94119910A 1993-12-23 1994-12-16 Method and system for sizing interactive video delivery systems Withdrawn EP0660610A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US173810 1993-12-23
US08/173,810 US5475615A (en) 1993-12-23 1993-12-23 Method and system for sizing interactive video delivery systems

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0660610A1 true EP0660610A1 (en) 1995-06-28

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EP94119910A Withdrawn EP0660610A1 (en) 1993-12-23 1994-12-16 Method and system for sizing interactive video delivery systems

Country Status (9)

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US (1) US5475615A (sv)
EP (1) EP0660610A1 (sv)
CZ (1) CZ281848B6 (sv)
FI (1) FI946023A (sv)
HU (1) HUT69830A (sv)
NO (1) NO944992L (sv)
PL (1) PL306451A1 (sv)
RO (1) RO111886B1 (sv)
SK (1) SK159494A3 (sv)

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EP0841790A1 (en) * 1996-11-06 1998-05-13 AT&T Corp. Method for dynamic allocation of voice and image compression

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US7949779B2 (en) 1998-02-10 2011-05-24 Level 3 Communications, Llc Controlling subscriber information rates in a content delivery network
US6185598B1 (en) 1998-02-10 2001-02-06 Digital Island, Inc. Optimized network resource location
US7054935B2 (en) 1998-02-10 2006-05-30 Savvis Communications Corporation Internet content delivery network
US6275470B1 (en) 1999-06-18 2001-08-14 Digital Island, Inc. On-demand overlay routing for computer-based communication networks
US8543901B1 (en) 1999-11-01 2013-09-24 Level 3 Communications, Llc Verification of content stored in a network
US6687846B1 (en) 2000-03-30 2004-02-03 Intel Corporation System and method for error handling and recovery
US6920107B1 (en) * 2000-05-24 2005-07-19 Lucent Technologies Inc. Method and apparatus for congestion control for packet-based networks using pipeline reconfiguration
US7318107B1 (en) 2000-06-30 2008-01-08 Intel Corporation System and method for automatic stream fail-over
US7020709B1 (en) 2000-06-30 2006-03-28 Intel Corporation System and method for fault tolerant stream splitting
US7080161B2 (en) * 2000-10-17 2006-07-18 Avaya Technology Corp. Routing information exchange
US7487237B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2009-02-03 Avaya Technology Corp. Load optimization
US7406539B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2008-07-29 Avaya Technology Corp. Method and apparatus for performance and cost optimization in an internetwork
US7720959B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2010-05-18 Avaya Inc. Method and apparatus for characterizing the quality of a network path
ATE459154T1 (de) 2000-10-17 2010-03-15 Avaya Technology Corp Verfahren und vorrichtung zur optimierung der leistung und des kosten in einem internetzwerk
US7756032B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2010-07-13 Avaya Inc. Method and apparatus for communicating data within measurement traffic
US7336613B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2008-02-26 Avaya Technology Corp. Method and apparatus for the assessment and optimization of network traffic
US7363367B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2008-04-22 Avaya Technology Corp. Systems and methods for robust, real-time measurement of network performance
US7349994B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2008-03-25 Avaya Technology Corp. Method and apparatus for coordinating routing parameters via a back-channel communication medium
US8023421B2 (en) 2002-07-25 2011-09-20 Avaya Inc. Method and apparatus for the assessment and optimization of network traffic
US6651141B2 (en) 2000-12-29 2003-11-18 Intel Corporation System and method for populating cache servers with popular media contents
AU2002250559A1 (en) 2001-03-22 2002-10-08 United Video Properties, Inc. Personal video recorder systems and methods
US7860964B2 (en) 2001-09-28 2010-12-28 Level 3 Communications, Llc Policy-based content delivery network selection
EP1436736B1 (en) 2001-09-28 2017-06-28 Level 3 CDN International, Inc. Configurable adaptive global traffic control and management
US7373644B2 (en) 2001-10-02 2008-05-13 Level 3 Communications, Llc Automated server replication
US20030079027A1 (en) 2001-10-18 2003-04-24 Michael Slocombe Content request routing and load balancing for content distribution networks
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US10924573B2 (en) 2008-04-04 2021-02-16 Level 3 Communications, Llc Handling long-tail content in a content delivery network (CDN)
US8930538B2 (en) 2008-04-04 2015-01-06 Level 3 Communications, Llc Handling long-tail content in a content delivery network (CDN)
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO944992L (no) 1995-06-26
US5475615A (en) 1995-12-12
CZ281848B6 (cs) 1997-02-12
RO111886B1 (ro) 1997-02-28
FI946023A (sv) 1995-06-24
SK159494A3 (en) 1995-06-07
NO944992D0 (no) 1994-12-22
CZ325594A3 (en) 1996-11-13
HU9403754D0 (en) 1995-02-28
FI946023A0 (sv) 1994-12-22
HUT69830A (en) 1995-09-28
PL306451A1 (en) 1995-06-26

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